Chapter 69 - The Palace’s Harem
"Do you really think that you can escape death with your status?"
Emperor Yang Zhou's gaze was extremely cold. He looked at the Empress Dowager in front of him. "I already gave you the status befitting of you. But since you didn't seem to appreciate it, I don't think I need to be so kind."
"Your Majesty, I…"
"As your punishment, you shall serve in Lui Shang Temple for the next ten years. It should be a good punishment, don't you think so, Qian Xing?"
Long Qian Xing arched his eyebrows. Asking a former Imperial Concubine to go to the temple and become a nun was quite savage. From having luxury to bath in money every single day to one that she might not even have any rest from doing work from time to time.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Empress Dowager Hai shook her head. "No, Your Majesty, that wouldn't be good and I…"
"If you displease me any further, I would not mind sending you to meet with Imperial Father faster. While I can't say it's the best course of action, it's still within my means to do things." Emperor Yang Zhou looked at Empress Dowager Hai as he walked forward. "Which one would you like more, Empress Dowager Hai?"
"I prefer having to just slash her rather than escorting her to the temple." Long Qian Xing sighed. "Cleaning up the bloodstains are not that difficult to do, isn't it?"
Despite saying such thing, Long Qian Xing was still smiling like how a gentleman would. It was the same kind smile that he would wear on his face on daily basis. However, it was precisely this same smile that drove Empress Dowager Hai crazy.
'Commander is doing this again…'
'Whoever say Young Commander Long's smile is nice must be out of his mind.'
'Gosh, I pity whoever is given a smile by Commander…'
The soldiers, who were fighting just now, were watching with pitiable expression at Empress Dowager Hai. They had been staying by their commander's side for the past few months and every single time… all the new soldiers were fooled by his kind smile, thinking that he was a kind person.
It was only after some time did they realize just how much of a devil this commander could be.
"What's your decision, Empress Dowager Hai?" Emperor Yang Zhou asked.
"I'll follow your decision, Your Majesty." Empress Dowager Hai felt her heart was bleeding when she had to follow Emperor Yang Zhou's decision. "But I would like to plead for my son's life. He's… just blinded by temporary greed and didn't think things straight. Would you be as kind to let him alive."
"That would depend on how he answers my question." Emperor Yang Zhou didn't even spare another look at Empress Dowager Hai. "General Nan, I'll leave her in your care. Qian Xing, follow me."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Wait, I want to follow too!" Nan Luo ran to their direction. The other officials were handled by the soldiers, so there was practically nothing he needed to do right now. Rather than waiting here with this thick powdered woman, he would rather follow behind Emperor Yang Zhou.
Long Qian Xing passed a look at Nan Luo. "Are you sure that you want to follow us?"
"Where are you going?"
"The harem."
Nan Luo nearly tripped on the air when he heard what they said. It was only after he remembered that they were currently chasing after Prince Yang Lu did he calm down. To think that he was thinking inappropriately for a moment.
Seeing that, Long Qian Xing chuckled. "Just what is it inside your mind, Little Brat?"
"Ugh..."
"Don't tell me that your little sister is the one who teach you?"
"#$%^&*! My sister will never do that! Don't you dare slandering her!"
As the group walked out, Empress Dowager Hai felt her legs were giving out. She was stalling for time when she begged at Emperor Yang Zhou but at the same time, she knew that it was useless.
They had lost.
The throne would never fall into the hand of her son no matter how hard she tried it. It was vexing when she thought that her plan fell apart just because of these supporters around Emperor Yang Zhou.
Just how that low b*stard of an Emperor managed to gain so many people on his side?
Empress Dowager Hai turned to look at General Nan. "Why are you helping him, General? Don't you know that Emperor Yang Zhou is that of low birth!"
"His Majesty is the man chosen by the Heaven to become the Emperor. Mind your words, Empress Dowager Hai or I would not be polite." Old Master Nan glanced at Empress Dowager Hai.
He certainly knew very well that Emperor Yang Zhou and Long Qian Xing had no intention of killing this woman. After all, the condition of Fei Yang Kingdom was still very shaky. It would be hard for Emperor Yang Zhou to control the masses if he were to kill Empress Dowager Hai and pushed Prince Yang Lu even further away from him.
But of course, he would not expose the act.
'Are you really the right person for the throne, Your Majesty?' Old Master Nan mulled inside his mind but he kept directing the soldiers around him to clean up the mess. Rather than letting this matter blew up, it would be better to keep it under the wrap.
The death of some people….
They would just make some excuses.
Tep! Tep! Tep!
"Why are we going to the harem, anyway?" Nan Luo asked the question he had been wanting to ask.
Long Qian Xing passed a look at the young boy. "Prince Yang Lu is in the harem. There's another concubine who's helping Empress Dowager Hai there."
Nan Luo was speechless.
He really didn't expect that a concubine would be able to concoct such elaborate plans and even executed it this well. "Why don't you do something to stop it? I thought that women didn't have much power in the harem…"
"Normally, yes.." Long Qian Xing gave a faint smile but didn't explain further.